MSNBC – Twelve people were killed and at least 50 others wounded early Friday when a gunman opened fire at a midnight screening of the summer blockbuster “The Dark Knight Rises” near Denver, authorities and witnesses said. Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates told reporters that 10 people died at the scene and four others died after being taken to local hospitals. However, a police officer later told MSNBC TV that the death toll had been revised to 12. A three-month-old and a six-year-old girl were among those treated, according to reports. Police said the gunman had appeared at the front of the theater during the movie and released a canister which let out a hissing sound, which is believed to be tear gas. Witnesses told reporters that gunfire erupted during a shootout scene in the film. “It was mass chaos,” witness Jennifer Seeger told TODAY. “He was five feet away from me.” The gunman shot the ceiling and then “he threw in the gas can, and then I knew it was real,” Seeger added. “Everyone’s going for the door and then everyone starts saying, ‘no, he’s going to shoot people going for the door, and he did,” she recalled. “They’re trying to escape, and he shot those people as well.” A suspect was apprehended in the shopping center’s parking lot, Oates said. He was named as 24-year-old James Holmes, two federal officials from different agencies told NBC News.

Outrageous stuff. Not really comedy site stuff, but if I sat here and posted some clip of DeSean Jackson non-rhyme rapping after 12-14 were killed during The Dark Knight a few hours ago I wouldn’t be doing my job as a blogger. My expert journalistic findings:

The guy, James Holmes, was allegedly a member of the internet site 9gag, which is similar to Reddit, Digg, and 4Chan as a place where the nerdiest of the nerdy get together to share pictures, videos, etc. I know because I steal a lot of content from them. Anyway, he is rumored to have posted these onto 9Gag:

A few weeks ago, a man by the username of ‘JamesHolmes154′ posted a thread on 9gag saying he was going to ‘shoot up’ a theater. He was clearly distressed and admitted? he was suffering from PTSD. He said he was going to walk in and try to take as much lifes as possible. The whole 9gag community egged him on and give him tips on what to wear, etc. They give him tips on sharp-shooting and sent him messages on how to take as much lifes as possible. 9gag is a sick site and needs to be destroyed.

Weird stuff. I don’t want to play Dr. Internet Detective because this is all speculation and I don’t know anything about Colorado or guns or even enough about 9Gag to say the rumors are true. It’s just all very interesting and I wonder how long it is before the TV media starts talking about the “dangers of online forums” in an attempt to scare old people and sell Depends and Bayer to their daytime TV-watching audience.

Good question.

UPDATE:

Good chance those screenshots were faked by someone on 9gag…which would be a very 9gag thing to do. I’ve received a link to this post from someone on Reddit claiming it’s all fake, as well as someone on Bob’s Blitz saying the same thing. Now waiting on major media to use their resources/need for truth to conform or deny 9gag involvement.

This story you have here is better than what Reuters, CNN and AP have combined…no exaggeration whatsoever. I’m very impressed. Who’s the guy who said “WE DID IT? WE GOT HIM TO ACTUALLY SHOOT IN THE THEATER xD?” I’d like to talk to that guy for a few minutes in a locked room.

I’ve been reading barstool for almost a year now. Hands down the best “real” piece of journalism I’ve seen on here. Great job Mo. Really good work. Wonder how much pub the site is going to get once other new sites pick up your pieces and give you credit.

You got to do something about these fucking Nerds cunts who sit in front of their computer all day making fun of people. These fucking loser cunts have no job, no life, no girlfriend and all they do is hide behind a computer spewing hate. These fat fucks probably never had sex and had jerk off all day to pics of chicks they could never get if they have a billion dollars. Fucking nerds need to be sent to Iraq and learn a real life lesson. Fucking nerd cunts!!

If you Google “JamesHolmes154″ Mo’s story is 1st page, 5th from the top. I want to make a joke about page views really bad (and maybe have comedy architect KFC diagnose it for me?) but it just doesn’t feel right.

Not one of the supposed screen shots from the comments below can be found in link form. And one of the users that has a post attributed to them in the pics in no way had any even remotely ridiculous posts on 9gag. ‘JamesHolmes154′ is nowhere to be found to boot. Not buying this

I hope that they charge whoever gave him advice or egged him on. He might have done it anyways but, I do not think that those people who gave him anymore confidence for this act are innocent and should be allowed to get away scot-free.

some of the screen shots don’t seem legit. on 9gag, the “we did it post” is actually some avatar photoshop. it would be one thing if the post was just gone, but the fact that there’s something else in its place (same posts above and below) is sketchy

What’s difference between 9gag and barstool?? Nothing really…both are filled with loser, fat fucks who jerk off to pics of hot girls since they have negative chance of ever meeting anyone. You can hide behind a computer all day, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are a fat, loser cunt living in a basement of your mother’s house in South Boston.